Goldenes Gift

Viele Wenden, super Dialoge, eskalierte Situationen und der ausgezeichnete Kirk Douglas in einer Nebenrolle. Beide Hauptfiguren wurden aber von der Regie nicht exakt geleitet, weswegen das überraschende Ende seltsam und unbefriedigend wirkt. (20.08.2017)

A great genre piece with excellent dialogs and some snappy one-liners from Mitchum in the main role. Unexpectedly experimental in terms of form. The narration alternates in terms of type and tempo, unraveling the story down to its core and a surprising ending. P.S.: Good old Kirk Douglas rocks in this, one of his first movie roles. (04.12.2021)

I guess I've seen so many film noirs lately that I need a break from them. I've always been so drawn to this genre and would love to write something in it someday, but Out of the Past isn't as great as I thought it would be. I guess I was expecting something a little different from Tourneur because his previous films have impressed me. It's a good film noir, but it's not as great as I thought it would be. (06.10.2014)

The first half is a supreme example of classic noir, where the narrative on two levels is completely immersive and the characters act unpredictably, yet logically and inevitably. In the second half, when the plot moves purely into the present, the script runs out of steam and the direction gets a bit stale, but for the dramatic and again logical climax, the plus points go back to the filmmakers. Definitely a must-have textbook for enthusiasts. (11.08.2017)